d went to collect alms
elsewhere. When her husband returned home Dhanvanti told him what had
happened. "Some one," she added, "must go across the seven seas, to
fetch Soma, the washerwoman." The father and mother called up their
sons and said, "Those of you who honour your parents will take your
sister and cross the seven seas to bring Soma here." But all the
sons turned to their mother and said, "All you care about is your
daughter. You do not love us the least little bit. So we shall not
cross the seven seas and bring Soma here just on her account." The
mother began to cry, and the father got very cross. He turned to his
wife and said, "From henceforth you have no sons. To me our seven sons
are as if they had never been born. But do not get frightened about
our little girl I myself shall cross the seven seas and fetch Soma, the
washerwoman." Then the youngest of the seven sons said to his father,
"Daddy, Daddy, you must not say that you have no sons when here we are,
all seven of us. I shall take my sister Gunvanti with me, and we shall
go and fetch Soma, the washerwoman." A few days later the two children
prostrated themselves before their parents and began their voyage.

In course of time they came to the seashore. But the wind was
blowing, the waves were rolling in, and the foam was splashing over
the rocks. The brother and sister could not imagine how they were to
continue their journey. There was no one near to give them food, there
was no one near to give them drink, and they could think of nothing
better than to lie down and die. But they first resolved to pray to
the god Shiva, "Please, please, God Shiva," prayed the two children,
"get us out of this terrible trouble." After praying they went and
sat under a banian tree, and all day long they had nothing to eat or
drink. Now on the very top of the banian tree was an eagle's nest,
and in it there were several little eagles. When evening came, father
eagle and mother eagle came home and began to feed their young. But
the little eagles would not eat anything at all. Mother eagle said,
"Children, children, what is the matter?" "O Mummy, Mummy," cried
the little eagles, "two strangers have come to our house, and they
are sitting under our tree, and they have had nothing to eat all
day!" Father eagle and mother eagle flew to the ground and began to
ask the boy what his trouble was. "Do not be frightened," said father
eagle; "whatever your business, I'll help you to